


I Gave You Wooden Figurines & You Gave Me What You Could (ANBU au.)

by AlexandriaBo



Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU - Freeform, AU, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Angst, Character Development, First Kiss, Hidden affection for one another, Jutsu, Kakashi age 19/20, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Teen Angst, Tenzo age 16, bad guy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-04-22 14:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4838243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexandriaBo/pseuds/AlexandriaBo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Kakashi is informed about a man who seeks to capture young Tenzo for his Wood Release abilities, he'll find that the only way to protect his friend is to push him away, all despite the strong feelings he has always felt for him. When Tenzo begins to feel shunned by the secret love of his life, he doesn't know if he'll be able to survive if Kakashi turns his back on their friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shidou Amakazi

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive any major grammar/punctuation mistakes. I SUCK at editing my own work.

After training today in the ANBU Headquarters, Kakashi hurried to the locker room to put all of his gear away. Being summoned by Lord Third wasn’t always an odd occurrence for him, but he never liked making the Hokage wait. Once he switched out his uniform for something a bit more casual but still combat ready, he hung each of his personal training kunai on their individual hooks. When he turned to leave, Tenzo was just coming in, dabbing his forehead with a cloth to rid of the sweat from their cardio workout. “Hey, Senpai,” Tenzo said with a pleasant smile on his face, “Are you heading to somewhere in particular, right now?”

Kakashi leaned back against the metal locker after shutting it, “How many times do I have to say stop calling me 'Senpai',” he said, “before you get the hint and stop calling me your ‘Senpai’?”

Tenzo’s smile grew even bigger, his wide pretty eyes shutting at his cheeks rose in glee. “Senpai, Senpai, Senpai, I will never stop calling you that.”

With a shake of his head, his cheeks suddenly blushed when Tenzo began to change from his uniform into something a little cleaner. Glad the flush to his cheeks was hidden well beneath his mask, he turned his gaze, and said, “Lord Third summoned me. I was going to have a quick word with him.”

The sixteen-year-old pouted his lip, pulling the length of his auburn hair into a long ponytail. “But what about our walk together?” he said with a rather dejected frown, “You always walk me back to my bunk after training.”

Kakashi met the boy’s eyes again after he was fully clothed, feeling something inside him tremble at the sorrowful look being given to him. “I’m sure Lord Third won’t take long,” he assured, “If you want, you can tag along and I’ll walk you after the meeting is over. Maybe we can even grab something to eat before I drop you off. I’m pretty famished. How does that sound?”

Tenzo nodded immediately, “I would like that very much!”

Leading the way, Kakashi tucked his hands into the front of his trouser pockets and started off, leaving the ANBU passageways until they were outside. Tenzo walked closely beside him, a step behind until they were just outside of the Hokage office. Leaving the boy just outside the door, Kakashi offered him a nod before going inside.

Lord Third was seated behind his desk, the village night lit faintly behind him, and the vast wilderness of the forest surrounding could be seen like a dark ocean all around. When the door closed, Kakashi knelt down in respect, and said, “You summoned me, Hokage?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi was dressed in his leadership attire as he sat small behind the desk, a stern look on his face, “Stand, Kakashi,” he said, “Come, enter further, please.” When the nineteen-year-old did so, Sarutobi stood as well, his hands held firmly behind his back as he turned to gaze out over the village. “Tell me, Kakashi, what do you see when you look upon these lands?”

Confused and a little anxious to know what had the Third so bothered, he joined Sarutobi at the window and looked out. “I see the Leaf,” he said, wondering momentarily if that answer was good enough.

“Yes,” Lord Third said, “And the people who live within these secure walls, they are my people, your people, each other’s. Everyone who dwells within this village, they rely on me and every other ninja, secret or not, to protect them, to keep them sheltered from the dangers that seek to threaten them. And yet, I fear the possible events that may indeed shake these lands once more.”

“What do you mean?” Kakashi asked.

“Yesterday I sent out a pair of ANBU to locate a man I heard word about from the Village Hidden in the Mist. His name is Shidou Amakazi. He was someone who craved power and strength so much that he rebelled against his village, leading a lonesome and secretive life up until now. I sent the ANBU to search for him when word got out that he sought power through capture of the Nine Tails. This morning, however, the lifeless bodies of your comrades were returned to us before they could set fire to their bodies. It is unknown as to why this Amakazi would want to have their bodies returned to us, when we can so easily find out his plot through dissection, but it had become clear that he wants us to know he seeks the Nine Tails. However,” Sarutobi looked up at Kakashi, the gaze in his eyes stern as ever, “There is one thing he desires before he ultimately goes after the Nine Tails.”

The moment Kakashi heard of the yearning to control the Nine Tails, he knew exactly what was coming next. “The Wood Release,” he said.

Sarutobi nodded, “Yes, Amakazi seeks usage of the Wood Release jutsu. As I am sure you know, there is only one person on this planet at the moment who has the ability to use such a jutsu.”

“Tenzo.”

Lord Third lowered his gaze, “Exactly. Once I heard of Amakazi’s first goal, my first selfish thought was to have Tenzo taken and locked away until further notice.”

Something ticked in Kakashi’s chest, knowing full well such a punishment would crush the sixteen-year-old to pieces. He’d grown used to being free here in the Leaf, free to live and do as he pleases, all under the promise of protecting this village. To be thrown away, to be shunned for something he could not help, Kakashi knew it would be enough to weaken the boy’s joyous spirit. “There has to be another way,” he couldn’t keep himself from saying.

“That is what I am hoping for, what I am trying to think of,” Lord third said. “I just figured what with your relationship and personal connection with Tenzo, you could be the one to keep a close watch over him and those who interact with him from here on out. I like to think the village is safe from intruders, but it would not be the first time someone made it through our gates to wreak havoc. I will be sending ANBU of Water Release to find and bring this Shidou Amakazi to a stop. For now, you watch over Tenzo.”

Kakashi nodded his head in complete understanding, “Is that all, Hokage?”

Lord Third said one final thing before releasing Kakashi, “Do not let Tenzo discover what goes on. I would have him remain ignorant of such happenings.”

Stepping out of the office, Kakashi didn’t have time to process the news broken to him. Tenzo tugged at his forearm in a hurry and pulled him along, “We’ll get something to eat, right, Senpai?”

Kakashi followed without fret, “Yeah, let’s go wherever you want. It’ll be on me tonight.”

As they moved down the halls to the exit of the building, Tenzo gave Kakashi a bizarre look, “Did you just offer to pay without a second thought? Who are you and what have you done with my Senpai?”

The nineteen-year-old shrugged and kept his stride alongside the boy. “I can be generous sometimes, you know.”

“Not when it comes to paying for something, you cheapskate.”

At a restaurant in the middle of the village marketplace, Kakashi and Tenzo sat together in a personal booth at the back. As the brunette boy across from him chowed down, Kakashi watched him above the arch of his mask, a worry hidden in him he could not voice even if he wanted to. This man Shidou Amakazi, he had to keep him a secret from Tenzo no matter what, because, if there was one thing he knew about this fierce sixteen-year-old, it was that he wasn’t afraid of anything…at least…he never showed it. As they sat together, Kakashi could discern the protectiveness he had over Tenzo, how much he never wanted him to suffer ever again, especially after making it out of the life he’d been cursed to be brought into in the beginning. This life he lived now, Kakashi wanted it to always be free from worries and the upset that followed loss. The smile on Tenzo’s face was always so sincere, a smile that spoke of a type of harmony that could only be brought to someone who cherished every event that occurred in their life now.

Kakashi wanted Tenzo to be like this always: happy, safe, and protected.

“Senpai?”

The silver haired boy blinked, only then realizing he’d been staring at Tenzo. Embarrassed, he looked away, “What is it?”

Wiping his mouth on a table cloth, Tenzo said, “Is something the matter? I noticed after you left the Hokage’s office you seemed a little down. Are you alright?”

Playing it off to the best he could, Kakashi reached for a grilling slice of steak and raising it to his mouth. Before eating it, he said, “Yeah, I’m fine. The Hokage was just filling me in on the results from the solo mission I accomplished the other week. It’s nothing to worry yourself over.” With that, he pulled down the rim of his mask below his chin to eat the steak, Tenzo offering an amused grin at the smear of sauce that trailed down Kakashi’s lower lip.

Tenzo grabbed a napkin from beside his plate and reached across the table, smiling sweetly as he dabbed away the small blemished. “There,” he said, “You should watch how you eat.”

Kakashi shook his head and they continued to eat until the table was clear and the bill was paid. Once his mask was pulled back up and they were done, as promised, he walked along with Tenzo through the streets of the Leaf. The place was nearly empty by this hour, most people already tucked in their homes for the night. As they went together, Kakashi couldn’t stop thinking about what Lord Third had relayed to him. Whoever this Amakazi guy was, though, he was in for a world of pain if he really thought he was going to get his hands on Tenzo. Even if Kakashi had to handle this situation on his own if the Water Release ANBU couldn’t, he’d have no problem taking Amakazi on alone. Anything…anything to make sure nothing happened in the long run.

“Senpai?” Tenzo’s small voice brought him back into focus.

“Yes, Tenzo?”

The boy had his hands clenched behind his back, trying to hide a warmness in his cheeks. Keeping his eyes down knowing the look in them would give him away, he said, “I have something to give you for your birthday tomorrow, and I was wondering if maybe you would want it now? I made it last week and I’ve been real anxious to give it to you already.”

Birthday? Kakashi couldn’t believe he’d forgotten his own birthday. Maybe it was all of the missions they’d gone out on in the past month that had his thoughts too jumbled, and this worrisome burden wasn’t going to help. “You know you didn’t have to get me anything,” he said.

“Technically, I didn’t,” Tenzo said, “I made it with my own two hands.”

Arriving at Tenzo’s bunk down a passageway of duplexes, Kakashi gestured up the steps, “If you really can’t wait until tomorrow, I wouldn’t mind having your gift now.”

Excited, Tenzo scurried up the steps as Kakashi followed measuredly behind. When inside, he shut the door as the boy turned on the light. The bunk was always well in order, not a thing out of place. Small, but that didn’t seem to take away from the homey feeling this place had. The living area was compacted with a sofa and small bookshelf below a tall draped window. In the section beside it was a twin-sized bed made without a single wrinkle in the sheets and pillow, a nightstand beside it carrying a lamp that Tenzo clicked on. The kitchen was spotless as well, and when Kakashi took a stand before a dining table with just one chair, he watched Tenzo scamper towards his closet.

The short standing sixteen-year-old stood on the tips of his toes as he reached for a bright blue bag stuffed with white paper. Tipping it into his grasp, he caught it easily and walked it towards Kakashi. Holding it out shyly, he said, “I worked really hard to make it as perfect as possible, but I won’t be discouraged if you don’t like it very much.”

“I’m sure it’s just fine,” Kakashi said, taking the weighted bag into his hands. Pulling out the white paper, he set it aside and reached for the object inside. Taking it into his grasp, he raised a wooden figurine into his palm and looked it over. Carved rather flawlessly into a piece of wood was a standing image of him and Tenzo. They appeared younger in the piece, standing back to back at the age they’d been when they first met all those years ago. Smoothing his thumb across the figures, Kakashi sat down in the dining chair and examined it further. “This is real nice,” he admitted. “When did you learn how to carve so precisely?”

Tenzo stood nearer to the silver haired boy, standing just at his knees. “I’ve been doing it on the side when I get bored here. The other part of my closet it nearly filled with different images of other things like birds and people. Do you – do you like it?”

Kakashi looked up at the nervous boy before him and offered a hidden smirk and nod of approval. “It’s very nice, thank you for it.”

Seeming to breathe easy with the grateful accepting of his gift, Tenzo lit up with a delightful spirit he couldn’t suppress. “I’m glad,” he said, “I could always make you more if you want. Since I’m always bored and I have a hard time getting to sleep most nights, I spend a lot of the free time I have making them.”

Turning over the figure in his hands, Kakashi said, “Although I think you should really work on getting what sleep you can, I wouldn’t mind if you made more. I have quite a bit of open space at my place. This one will go great on my windowsill.”

“Okay,” Tenzo nodded happily, “I’ll do that, then. Maybe by the end of every training period I’ll have a new one for you.”

Kakashi rose from the chair, “That sounds good, but you should try to sleep for now. I’ll come get you in the morning and we can head to Headquarters together. How does that sound?”

“Wonderful!”

“Then it’s settled. Goodnight, Tenzo.”

“Goodnight, Senpai.”

With the figurine in tow, Kakashi stepped out, closing the door behind him. Tenzo stood at the door a moment, ashamed that he hadn’t come out with what he’d wanted to tell Kakashi. For a long time now, there’s been something on his mind he wanted to get off his chest, but with every week that went by, he didn’t feel his courage growing any bigger. Would he remain this hidden lovesick boy forever, desperate for the one person who’d managed to find a place in his heart, but far too afraid to speak of the true sentiment that resided in him?

Tenzo let out a disappointed breath and locked the bunk’s door, sinking into his bed after changing from his combat attire. There were so many things he wanted Kakashi to know, but he was sure he’d never be strong enough to confess what he felt. Would he ever, or were he and Kakashi destined to remain what they were now? Just friends.


	2. Genjutsu

Tenzo hurried to get ready the next morning. Once he was finished with his shower, he threw on his uniform and pulled the lining snugly over his chin. After his long hair was dried and tame passed his slim shoulders, an excitement entered him when there was a knock on his bunk’s door. Without wasting a second, he unlocked the door and there stood Kakashi on the other side. “Morning,” the silver-haired boy greeted, “Are you ready to go?”

  
Quickly, Tenzo grabbed his headband from the dining table and stepped out, closing the locked door behind him. They descended the front steps together, and once at the bottom, headed in the direction of the ANBU headquarters. “Happy birthday, Senpai,” Tenzo said. “Was I the first person to say that today?”

  
Keeping his long pace measured for the sixteen-year-old, Kakashi said, “Nope, Gai beat you to it this morning, and surprisingly Itachi did wish me a happy birthday too, so yeah, you’re two people behind.”

  
“Darn…”Tenzo huffed, “But I did give you a present, so that gets me a couple extra points, right?”

  
Kakashi couldn’t help a chuckle when Tenzo bumped up against him playfully. This kid was always so eager to impress him no matter the task. Whether it was making sure his performance was up during their missions, or even now when saying happy birthday first was something he wanted, Kakashi got a bit of a kick out of Tenzo’s enthusiasm. It always worked up a smile. In a way…it was a bit flattering, too, but the now twenty-year-old Hatake Kakashi would never admit to something like that.

  
The sun had just peaked the horizon by the time they reached ANBU HQ. Training to further sharpen their combat skills, and honing their chakra and individual jutsus was the top priority when missions weren’t being handed out. With that, majority of the morning had been spent in the battle simulation facilities to work on hostile tactics.

  
In the middle of focusing on his chakra levels in the cool-down area, Kakashi was interrupted when he could feel a presence watching over him. When he opened his eyes, he met the gaze of a fellow black ops ninja standing just a couple feet from where he was seated. “Can I help you?” he said.

  
“Lord Third calls for you and Tenzo to join him in his office.”

  
_Again?_ Kakashi thought, _what could he possibly want now?_

  
Without objection, Kakashi stood and crossed the cool-down area into the combat chamber. It was a spacious room and inside was Tenzo. Upon stepping into the chamber, several slots opened in the walls surrounding the boy and out flew kunai and shuriken. From the palm of his left hand, Tenzo quickly constructed a shield of wood to block the weapons flying at him from behind, while he sprung into the air to shoot splinters from his right palm to cut off the trajectory of the rest. Impressed when Tenzo merely caught the last one that seemed about to strike the forehead plate of his headband, Kakashi said, “Come on, we’ve been called for possible service.”

  
Not wasting a second, Tenzo followed after Kakashi and they went to meet with Lord Third. Sarutobi and the silver-haired ninja shared a look when he entered the office, the lit ambiance of the room bright while the hidden atmosphere felt rather weighed to all but Tenzo. The ninja’s knelt respectively before rising once more to hear of their task being handed out. Today, they were to head towards the Sand Village to retrieve a scroll wielding a message for the Hokage, and while Tenzo honestly thought this type of mission was a bit below their rank as black ops operatives, he kept his mouth shut and listened closely to the orders being given.

  
Kakashi, on the other, could see through this ploy Sarutobi was pulling. While he had his Water Release ANBU head in the direction of the Mist to track down and stop Shidou Amakazi, he was putting as much distance between Tenzo as possible. Given it would take them about three days, give or take, to reach the Sand Village, which would be more than enough time to find him. Kakashi just hoped this plan would work. From Lord Third’s knowledge that Amakazi’s Kekkei Genkai was Scorch Release, it would be greatly assumed that he’d be able to be stopped by Water, so the hopes that these ninja were capable of bringing him down rather quickly was a piece of optimism Kakashi held to.  
After they were let go, the two went off to pack what little essentials they would need for the time they were gone, and once that was done, Kakashi and Tenzo were out the village. Heading east, they started into the forest surrounding the Leaf. As they bounded through the tops of the trees, Tenzo sighed behind his mask, a little disappointed they were given a mission like this. Even with having already given Kakashi a gift, he’d wanted to take him out, maybe treat the guy to a nice meal after their day was over…maybe invite him back to his place for just a little more quality time. But now all of that was messed up. Not that he minded being out here with Kakashi…alone…unbothered by others, but…Tenzo hummed curiously to himself, maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Sure they couldn’t have a possible candle lit dinner or anything, but they were here together.

  
Shaking the thoughts from his head, Tenzo landed his footing before kicking off of another branch. He shouldn’t be thinking like that, especially while they were out here on an important mission, no matter how trivial he actually thought to whole thing was.

  
There was no telling what they could run into, so remaining totally focused and aware of his surroundings was vital. Glancing towards the silver-haired boy beside him, Tenzo cursed in his mind. Who was he kidding? He’d never be able to focus with all these selfish thoughts running through his mind, and there was definitely no getting rid of these kinds. Far too distracted by all the things he’d intended for this evening.

  
Tonight, he’d wanted to finally build enough strength to tell Kakashi how he felt, of just how long he’s had these unshakable feelings for him. To confess out here in the middle of the woods, in an area and on a mission where he couldn’t run off if things turned sour, Tenzo knew he’d need a way out if everything didn’t go according to his anticipation. At least in the Leaf, if Kakashi rejected him, he’d be able to hide away in his bunk to sulk the sorrows away. Out here, he could do nothing.

  
“Tenzo, stop,” Kakashi said assertively, and immediately the boy stalled on a branch on the next tree.

  
Silence surrounded them from all over and after a minute, Tenzo quietly took to the post Kakashi was on. He looked around, not spotting anything out of the ordinary. “What’s going on?” he whispered.

  
Kakashi’s porcelain mask stared blankly ahead of him, and when Tenzo opened his mouth to speak again, the silver-haired ninja said, “It’s too quiet here.”

  
Noticing this as well, Tenzo realized the section of forest they were in should have been teeming with bird activity. There was a rather large species that called these treetops home, but as they stood here in the middle of it, nothing aside from the sound of their controlled breathing could be heard. Kakashi kept his senses alert to make sure they weren’t being followed, and as a couple seconds turned into a minute, he shook it off as nothing, and said, “Never mind, we should hurry. Cover more ground before nightfall.”

  
The two traveled a long distance within the four hours it took for the sun to set, and with just a day and a half left to their journey, now was the time to call it a night. The sky above could not be seen due to the expanse of trees overhead, but the moon still shone dully down through the gaps. Tenzo took it upon himself to build them a decently sized shelter, having constructed it from the ground up until the twenty by eleven square foot lodge was finished.  
For now, Tenzo was sat outside before a small kindling fire, a block of wood in his hand as he carved into it with a sharp kunai. Kakashi joined him a second later and sat down just an inch apart. Leaning into the boy’s personal space, he said, “What are you making this time?”

  
Tenzo was glad the flicker of the flames hid the dash of red in his cheeks, and he nodded up towards a blue bird sitting in her nest. “I like to reference things,” the boy said.

  
Kakashi nodded, “I see, are you going to give it to me or is this one for your own little collection?”

  
“I wouldn’t call it a _little_ collection,” Tenzo laughed, “I have so many, it would probably take me a while to count them all. You can have this one if you like, though.” He rounded off the last edge to the bird’s beak and turned it over in his hand. When he met Kakashi’s gaze, Tenzo bit back on his lip and tore his eyes away, holding out the wooden figurine. “Here, you can have it.”

  
When Kakashi reached for it, the tips of his fingers brushed Tenzo’s knuckles, and for a rather quick moment he swore he could feel…something, but he couldn’t quite put a name to the sensation that sent a soft current through him. “Sorry,” Tenzo apologized, pulling his hand away.

  
Since they were alone, Kakashi pulled down the rim of his mask and let it ruffle around his neck, something that never failed to make Tenzo feel special. Because, well, Kakashi never took off his mask in front of people, and after just a year of them knowing one another he’d started the habit. Tenzo could still remember his previous shock at being able to look upon Kakashi’s entire face back then. Not that there was anything wrong with it, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the way Kakashi looked, he just hadn’t ever expected for the older boy to become so comfortable around him to do so. That in itself was gratifying.

  
Suddenly a gust a wind blew harshly through the forest, sending loose leaves into a flurry as well as Tenzo’s long auburn tresses. Once the whistling spell came to a standstill, Kakashi smirked at the wild tangles of the boy’s hair. Without thinking, he shoved the wooden bird in his pocket and tenderly traced his fingers behind Tenzo’s ear, pushing back the strays from his bashful face. “You’re hair has gotten so long since last year,” Kakashi said, “Will you ever cut it?”

  
Tenzo brought his hair to the side, dragging his fingers through the few knots it had, “Maybe in the future, but right now I like it the way it is.”

  
“It doesn’t get in the way?”

  
“Only sometimes when it’s not tied back. I’ve tried to braid it before to weigh it down for fighting, but I always forget how or it’s not tight enough.”

  
“I could braid it for you,” Kakashi offered.

  
Tenzo could feel the light stammer of his heart at the proposal, and he tried his hardest to keep his composure. “You – you know how?”

  
“Sure,” Kakashi moved behind Tenzo then, the boy sitting between his legs and he gathered all of the long hair up. “You said you want it tight?”

  
“Um,” Tenzo stuttered, “Not too tight, please.”

  
Sectioning the hair off, Kakashi brought each strand over the other, making sure not to pull too hard. Tenzo’s hair was like brown silk between his fingers, and he could smell the pleasant aroma that clung to it. When done, he draped the long braid into Tenzo’s view, and placed his chin on the boy’s slight shoulder. “There,” he said kindly.

  
Tenzo felt even smaller with Kakashi pushed up so closely against him, fighting off the tremors of shame and excitement. He raked his fingers over the curves and groves of the braid, “T-Thank you,” he said looking back over his shoulder to meet the other boy’s eyes. His heart nearly stopped at just how close Kakashi actually was to him in this moment, their lips just mere inches from one another, close enough to kiss, but the uncertain coward in him kept him from doing so.

  
Seeming to not know whether to keep his eyes on Tenzo’s lips or almond eyes, in a near whisper, Kakashi said, “We should probably get some sleep.”  


"O-Okay,” Tenzo brought himself up, helping Kakashi to his feet as well and they entered the small lodge.

  
The two boys laid a short distance from one another under their cloaks after the fire was put out. It didn’t take long for them to fall asleep, their individual worries going still in this quiet forest, Tenzo sleeping soundly, but after a while it seemed as though something was bothering Kakashi as he slumbered.  
_

  
Alone in the center of a vast field, Kakashi was surrounding by thick fog, hardly able to see more than a couple feet in front of him. What was going on? Where was he? Where was Tenzo? Hadn’t they just been sleeping side by side in the forest? Yet, now he was here alone in the middle of a shrouded patch of land he couldn’t remember getting to. Truly anxious about the whereabouts of Tenzo, Kakashi cupped his hands over his mouth, and shouted, “Tenzo! Tenzo, where are you!?”

  
A scream erupted all around the silver-haired boy, and there was no doubt in his mind that it was exactly who he feared it could be. His blood ran cold and he circled in one place, “Tenzo!”

  
“Senpai!”

  
The voice was behind him this time and he whipped around, not wasting a second to sprint in that direction.

  
“Senpai, help!”

  
“What the…” Kakashi stopped, the voice, now it was coming from the opposite way. “Tenzo, where are you!?”

  
When a blood curdling scream reverberated all around him once more, darkness flooded over Kakashi, and the fog drifted away like thunderstorm clouds breaking across the sky. “Dammit,” Kakashi panicked, “Tenzo…?”

  
It was then when a ray of crimson light beamed like a focus point down on an unmoved figure. Fearful, Kakashi raced over to find the one thing he wished he hadn’t. Tenzo lay there unmoved in a puddle of his own blood, skin a shade paler that it usually was, and the peaceful expression on his face was deathly. Collapsing to his knees, Kakashi shook his head in disbelief, scooping the limp form of Tenzo in his arms. The boy was cold, his chakra and entire life source drained. “No…” Kakashi couldn’t keep himself from trembling. “Tenzo, please, you can’t be – you can't do this – you can’t leave me.” Hugging the boy against his chest, tears blurred his vision and a compressing sensation coiled into his throat. “Who – who did this to you?”

  
“I did.”

  
Kakashi looked up at the sudden voice, hardly able to see through the blanket of tears in his eyes. Before him stood a young man just the same age. He had skin like snow and narrow violet eyes, long black hair that grew just to the small of his back, and he was tall in stature, dressed in a red and black body suit with a black hooded cloak. “You're…Amakazi?” Kakashi mumbled, “You did this to him?”

  
The man gave a sinister smirk as he looked down at his hands, and without a word, he willed long stocks of wood from the palms of his hands. These spiraling timber stocks shot out like lighting towards Kakashi and wrapped him up, hoisting him up in the air and away from Tenzo.

  
Wriggling in the confinement of the stolen Wood Release ability, Kakashi heard the cool mannered voice of Amakazi as he spoke. “When I get my hands on him, I will make this your reality.”

  
Let go from the constriction, Kakashi found himself falling, jolted awake a second later in the silent darkness of the lodge. Quickly he shot up and searched for Tenzo, the pounding in his chest eased when he discovered the sleeping boy curled up beside him, closer than he’d been when the night began. Lying down facing Tenzo, Kakashi tried to rid of the terrifying vision shown to him. “I would never let anything happen to you,” he promised, “Never.”


	3. To Protect

Kakashi hadn’t slept very well, and the haunting memory of the dream he had the night before wasn’t helping. The vision of Tenzo lain bloody and lifeless before his eyes plagued his every thought. He just wanted to forget, to make it disappear, but it seemed nothing was going to make him forget. The next morning, they were off again, bounding through the trees to reach their destination. They were headed to a drop off point at the edge of the forest. There they would meet with ninjas from the Sand Village to receive their scroll, and the closer they got, the more a strange sense of dread crept into Kakashi.

Glancing towards Tenzo, he watched as the younger boy sprung through the trees, so unaware to everything that was going on around them. And Kakashi hoped it would stay that way. With his nightmare in mind and the possibilities that came with it, all Kakashi wanted was to make sure Tenzo remained protected.

After a few minutes, the two ANBU landed on a branch three stories above two Sand ninjas. They looked up when a creak in the tree caught their attention, and one with pale brown hair held up a bound scroll in his hand to the mask Leaf voyagers.

The moment Kakashi and Tenzo shared a look through their porcelain face covers, they tensed when both glanced back down, and the two ninja were missing. “What…?” Kakashi said, instinctively taking as step closer to his ANBU partner.

“Where – where did they go?” Tenzo said.

Before Kakashi could think about uttering a sound, he whipped around when a fast presence approached him from behind. It was a red-haired ninja from the Village Hidden in the Rain, this known simply by the dashes symbolized on her headband. With a sinister leer plastered across her face, she lunged for Kakashi, but was stopped almost immediately when a protruding spike of wood shot up from under her, knocking her back and out of the tree. “Kakashi!” Tenzo voiced, his hands together in the formation of a jutsu.

Focusing from the sudden shock, Kakashi gave a nod to Tenzo and they leapt down from the treetops. When they landed gracefully, each boy kept their eyes and ears open, scoping the area for the missing Sand ninja. Kakashi could smell the scent of blood nearby, but nothing too strong or near to count as fatal. “Cowards,” he voiced loudly. “Hiding in the shadows. Could it be that you are afraid?”

“You wish,” a boastful tone sounded from behind, and when the ANBU turned, they were met by two Rain ninja: two young men and the same red-haired woman from above. The tallest man with short blond hair stepped forward, a light of arrogance clear in his eyes. “It seems the Leaf and Sand are sharing secrets, eh? Doesn’t your Kage know that keeping secrets is rude?”

Joining Kakashi and Tenzo a second later, the Sand ninja appeared behind them, one bleeding only slightly from his lower abdomen. “This is none of your business,” Kakashi spat, quickly pulling out a kunai hidden in his boot. “Leave or you all will die today.”

“Oh, will we?” he blond ninja smiled.

A split second every ninja charged for one another, each taking on an opponent of their own. As Kakashi did his best to avoid the strikes and chakra attacks dished out to him, he also tried to keep an eye on Tenzo. The brunette was holding his own like he did on each of their missions together, fighting with his skill and ability to command his personal jutsu. Taking his eye off Tenzo for a moment, Kakashi knocked out the fighter in his sights, causing them to plummet down to the forest floor.

He switched his quick single gaze in the direction of the shinobi in possession of the Kage scroll. Kakashi gasped when a Sand ninja gripping the scroll tumbled to the ground as well. The sealed message rolled from his fist when it came loose, the soak of the dead Sand Village ninja nearly catching it. Before the crimson liquid could stain the scroll, the red-haired girl from the Rain Village scooped it into her hand. She met Kakashi’s stare, twirling secret message in her hand before sprinting away into the forest.

Instinct quickly told Kakashi to go after her, but in knowing he’d be separating himself from Tenzo, he found his feet glued where they were.

“What are you waiting for?” he heard Tenzo shout. “Kakashi Senpai, go get it back!”

The silver haired ANBU felt the rate of his heart pick up to a quickened pace. The entire forest was spinning around him. He didn’t want to leave Tenzo here to fight a battle of his own. He didn’t want to risk anything happening that he could have so easily prevented. Tenzo’s safety was his priority.

But he also couldn’t let the Hokage down.

Sucking in a chest of air, Kakashi began a sprint of his own in the direction the Rain girl went. After a minute, he was hot on her trail. Tracking each of her movements as she attempted to lose him in the trees. He pursued her until they reached a clearing in the middle of the shadow eclipsed forest. Nothing but fielded stretched for a mile until the rocky drop-off of a cliff dove into the earth. The girl stopped and faced Kakashi, the scroll tucked securely inside a holster at her hip. “The Copycat Ninja, Hatake Kakashi. I heard that little runt call out your name.” Tapping her eye, she said, “Tell me, how did you come by that sharingan you have? You’re not part of the Uchiha clan. HA! You’re nothing but a fake.”

“Would you like to see it?” Kakashi asked.

He pulled up the headband shielding his eye, and the moment he did so, the girl turned, only to unexpectedly be jabbed with the sting of Kakashi’s Lightning Blade. He hadn’t planned on ending the life of anyone today, but when things came down to that, he wasn’t afraid to get his hand dirty. When the girl collapsed upon the ground, Kakashi retrieved the scroll from her holster, and then jetted back to the last location Tenzo had been. Once he returned, the brawl had ended and all was silent again. The two Rain ninja who accompanied to girl were lying face down, one of them unconscious while the other was no longer breathing.

He quickly looked around for Tenzo, finding the sixteen-year-old sitting with his back up against a tree.

He was bleeding.

At Tenzo’s side a second later, Kakashi pursed his lips together as he looked over the exhausted boy. He was bleeding from his upper right thigh, the dark red substance staining out onto his clothing. “Can you walk?” the older boy asked.

Tenzo shook his head, hovering his hands above to sensitive lesion. “Did you get the scroll back?”

“Yes, don’t worry about it. Let’s just get you cleaned up.”

After seeing the Sand ninja off, Kakashi knelt down beside Tenzo. “We’ll have to clean your wound for the trip since it will take a day to get back to the village." With a small medical kit he had tucked in a pouch hooked to his belt, Kakashi opened the container, laying out the ointment and gauze he’d need. Realizing where exactly the wound was, the silver-haired boy’s felt as his face flushed beneath the porcelain mask he was wearing. “Um,” he stuttered, “You’ll have to take off your pants for this.”

Unable to see the true heat of embarrassment in Tenzo’s cheeks, Kakashi merely sat back as the boy unbuttoned his pants, pulling them down from over his undergarments, just far enough to where the deep bloody gash in his leg was accessible. Kakashi apologized as he cleaned the wound, knowing how much it must hurt just by the way the boy flinched each time he touched it. Once the wound was patched, Kakashi did his best to wrap it up so Tenzo could pull his pants back up. “Don’t worry,” he said kindly, “We’ll get you to the medical center the moment we get back. Are you ready?”

Tenzo nodded, taking the hand offered out to him. He was lugged to his feet and just when he pondered how he was going to keep up during their journey, Kakashi turned around, taking to a knee. “Hop on,” he said, “Let’s go.”

With a noticeable limp to him, Tenzo carefully wrapped his arms around the top of Kakashi’s shoulders, hands folding under his bottom as he was lifted from the ground. He rest his head against Kakashi’s back, more than just glad no one could see through the hardness of his mask. If anyone else ever got the hint that he wanted this young man to be more than just his friend, he’d live the rest of his life in mortified shame.

No one could know.

Especially not Kakashi.

The two went on for majority of the day, not stopping for a break even once the sun went down. Kakashi wasn’t too fond on the idea of trekking back to the Leaf under the night sky, but if he could save time from having to postpone Tenzo’s needed medical attention, he’d go all night without a single moment’s rest. Besides, he didn’t want to sleep, didn’t want to risk of chance to having that horrible nightmare a second time. Even though it wasn’t real, even though it was nothing but a figment of his wild imagination, if he could avoid it, he’d try as well.

It was just a few hours until dawn and Kakashi felt a tap against his chest, Tenzo getting his attention after they’d spent the whole time not saying a word. Kakashi stopped then and glanced over his shoulder.

“I’m tired and cold,” Tenzo’s said in a soft undertone.

“Okay,” Kakashi nodded, “We will rest till morning.”

He gently let Tenzo down and the boy scooted back up against a tree, his leg outstretched so he wouldn’t bend it. He was breathing a little harder, and he seemed to be trying to keep himself from losing focus. Putting his hands together as though preparing to command a jutsu, Kakashi placed a hand over the gesture, knowing the boy was far too weak at the moment. “No,” he said, “Don’t overexert yourself. We’ll just rest outdoors for now.”

“But…” Tenzo shivered, “I’m cold.”

Even though the boy was already wearing the one that belonged to himself, Kakashi slipped out of his own cloak and placed it on Tenzo, pulling up the hood to block the slow streams of air from hitting the boy’s ears. “There, you can use mine, too.”

“What about you?”

“I’m fine.”

Sitting up with his back to the trunk of the tree, Kakashi kept his mind awake, refusing to sleep even though his eyes were becoming heavy. He and Tenzo took off their masks, setting them aside for when morning came again. He wondered how the ninjas going after Amakazi were doing. Had they been capable enough to take down the rouge Mist shinobi, or had they been taken down just as easily as the ones before? If this man was as formidable as the Hokage made him out to be, Kakashi began to worry about no one having the power to stop Amakazi. It was true he would sacrifice his own existence to protect Tenzo, would fight to his last breath, but if that turned out not to be enough, there would be nothing stopping Amakazi from taking what he sought after.

Sat beside Tenzo against the tree, Kakashi glanced towards him. The boy was still shivering slightly. Without a second thought, Kakashi draped his arm over Tenzo’s shoulder, pressed up beside him to offer what warmth his could, gently smoothing his touch down the boy’s arm as he leaned in closer. Almost immediately, the shivering ceased, Tenzo’s body relaxing after just a few seconds. And it was only then, in that moment, when Kakashi realized what he had to do.

He had to seek Amakazi himself, stop him from getting any closer to the boy he hopelessly loved the most in this world.

If only he knew this would hurt Tenzo more than he’d expect.


	4. Mission

Tenzo was becoming worse by the minute the longer his wound went untreated. He was dazed and weak, unable to take more than two steps on his own, and the boy hadn’t even spoken a word. They’d finally arrived back to the Leaf village, and Kakashi cradled Tenzo through the streets as fast as he could to the medical center. When the healers directed him to a solitary room, Kakashi laid Tenzo down in a soft bed of his own. The sixteen-year-old was sweating, breathing heavily, and the temperature of his body was well over the normal state.

“You’re going to be okay,” Kakashi said, wondering if the boy could even hear him properly. “They’re going to take care of you here.”

The medical ninja assigned to Tenzo stood back a moment while Kakashi spoke, filling out a chart on the young ANBU’s condition. Kakashi’s hand was placed on top of Tenzo’s, and when he took a step as if to leave the room, he stopped when the boy closed a firm grip over the top of his fingers.

“Don’t worry,” Kakashi said, looking up when the medical ninja distanced herself to the doorway. “I’m just going to speak with the Hokage, and then I’ll be back to check up on you.” Raising a hand as if to touch the boy’s hair, Kakashi stopped himself, his fingers hovering above the sixteen-year-old’s fringe.

“S-Sen-pai,” Tenzo stuttered.

“Shh,” Kakashi finally touched the boy’s hair. “Rest for now. I’ll come back.”

Leaving Tenzo with a glance over his shoulder, Kakashi left the medical center of the ANBU headquarters and headed towards Hokage’s office. He was still thinking about his plan, the only plan he could formulate that would help protect Tenzo without the boy having to put himself in danger.

Tenzo was – Tenzo was the only person Kakashi had these days that he had something with, and whether it was an unrequited longing, or even just the basic friendship they had together, that boy meant something great to Kakashi that no one else knew about, and he would protect that at all cost. Never again could he relive what it was like to lose the people closest to him, and to image that person being Tenzo…it drove a fear into Kakashi that he was all too familiar with.

And he would prevent it from ever happening again.

No matter what.

When Kakashi arrived to the Hokage’s office, he walked in on a man who looked completely defeated. Lord Third was alone in the room, staring out the large window over the village. Reaching in the pack hooked up to his belt, Kakashi grabbed out the scroll he and Tenzo had gone after and tossed it on the desk. “The mission was successful,” he said, a hint of animosity in his tone. “But Tenzo was injured. Scouting ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Rain tried to intersect us during the exchange. It was supposed to be a simple mission to distance Tenzo from–.”

“I see your frustrations, Kakashi,” Lord Third said. “I did not anticipate another village trying to involve themselves in our false hand-off. I will take full blame from those killed and or injured during the mission. How is Tenzo?”

“He’s being tended to in the medical center. How did the Water released ninja fair against Amakazi?”

When the Hokage said nothing for a moment, Kakashi could already tell the news was not something he would want to hear. Although he had a plan of his own to go after and stop the Scorch release ninja on his own, he had hoped those the Hokage had put his faith in would have been able to at least cause a dent.

“They are dead,” Lord Third said woefully. “I am beginning to fear this man cannot be stopped.”

“Don’t say that,” Kakashi shook his head. “Hokage, I request that you send me to take care of this man. With the sharingan on my side, I am confident I will be able to take this man down.”

“Absolutely not,” Lord Third objected. “Kakashi, he has taken the lives of one too many ANBU already, and though I am confident as well in your capabilities, I will not send anymore after him. He has proved himself to be far too dangerous. I will go after him and stop him myself.”

“As a member of the ANBU, I have to insist that you allow me to do this,” Kakashi stood his ground. “Tenzo, in a way, he is my responsibility. I brought him into the village, he has been under my care since he got here, and I feel it is my job to make sure he is safe. And while I am also a member of the ANBU, the village is my priority as well. This man, Shidou Amakazi, I have to be the one to take him out. Before he gets too close to Tenzo, before he gets too close to the village.”

The stern look in Kakashi’s gaze was one that the Hokage admired, and while a large part of him wanted to refuse Kakashi’s will, there was another piece of him that saw the potential this white-haired young man wielded. He was the son of Konoha’s White Fang, a great, powerful and skilled ninja with more than enough talent to protect an entire village with one fight. The Hokage knew Kakashi as a fighter who would push himself to the limits, go further than the extra mile to make sure he completed his task, and if Kakashi was hell bent on stopping Amakazi in his tracts, Lord Third believed Kakashi could last up against such an opponent.

“What is your plan?” the Hokage asked.

“Find him, fight him, and kill him.”

“No strategy?” At the blank stare in the twenty-year-old’s eyes, Sarutobi could determine that those three simple words were all Kakashi had in mind.

“I won’t let him have Tenzo.”

“I know, but you must consider the real danger this man–.”

“From what he has shown of himself,” Kakashi glared, the solid coal-color of his eye looking like a vast pool of anger, “I take back what I said before, Amakazi is no man. He is a monster, and all monsters can be slain. I can stop him if only you would grant me the chance. Let me protect this village as I’ve been trained to do.”

_Let me protect Tenzo…_

“I have known you all your life, Kakashi,” Lord Third said. “I have witnessed your skills with my very eyes, and I know of the good you could likely do if faced with this threat. Also, I feel as though even if I do not grant you permission to leave the village, you would somehow find yourself faced with Amakazi.” Sarutobi sighed then, “Hatake Kakashi, I bestowed upon you the mission of bringing Shidou Amakazi down, and you are to return to the village in one piece. If this task proves too much for you to handle, you will return to the village, and we, as a people, will fend him off together.”

Kakashi nodded, “I understand.”

Released from the office, Kakashi found himself walking through the streets of the village. He was sure Tenzo was still being tended to back at headquarters, so he took the time to clean up after those days in the forest. In his home, Kakashi undressed from his clothing, leaving all it in a bin and took off his mask. When he entered the bathroom, he glanced at himself in the mirror, uncertain about the reflection looking back at him. Was he strong enough? Could be really take on an opponent that already seemed so impossible?

As he stood in the tall shower with water rinsing down his bare body, Kakashi tried to image what a fight with Amakazi would be like. With the capabilities to use seven elemental techniques of his own and a  
Sharingan Kekkei Genkai, one would think a mere fight with Hatake Kakashi would be devastating, but with the known fact that ninja wielding the enemy’s weakness were taken down so easily, he was someone that needed to be faced with caution.

With his body cleansed from days before, Kakashi dressed in fresh clothing and stepped into his shoes. When he got a look at the time on his bedside stand, he figured it would be a good time to go see Tenzo in the medical center. By now, he should be all patched up and feeling at least a little better than before.

The second Kakashi reached for the knob of his door to step out, he flinched when a blinding darkness came over his vision. He gasped and jumped back from the door, enveloped in complete shadow much like the sudden arrival of nightfall. _“You’ll never be able to save him,”_ a sinister voice came through, _“You’re a failure. How can you expect to keep him alive, when you can’t even keep you own team from dying?”_

Kakashi covered his ears and stumbled back, shaking his head in both guilt and confusion.

 _“Why, Kakashi Senpai?”_ he heard Tenzo’s voice over his shoulder, and when the twenty-year-old turned quickly, he saw Tenzo lain upon a black surface with nothing but a pool of blood soaked beneath him. He looked weakened, skinnier than usual, and his cheeks were sunken from the draining of his chakra and the absence of his Wood release jutsu. When he spoke, however, his lips didn’t move. _“Why did you let him do this to me?”_

“No!” Kakashi ran for Tenzo, but even as he ran his hardest, it was like the small brunette was getting further and further out of reach. The moment Kakashi felt like he was close enough, he jumped back when a man with long black hair dressed in red and black appeared rapidly before him. The hood of his dark cloak was pulled up to keep his face hidden in darkness.

 _“Thank you,”_ the man growled, _“for giving me what I wanted!”_

Kakashi was then struck by the man, looking down, frightened when a thick wooden spear pierced through his abdomen. It rammed directly through his body, blood draining from the gaping wound and he collapsed. _“You let him do this to me,”_ Tenzo’s sorrowful voice cried, _“You let him do this to us.”_

Kakashi awoken then, startled out of his sleep, and he sat up quicker than ever. He couldn’t remember falling asleep, especially falling asleep without having dressed after his shower. When he looked down on himself in the bed, he noted the large wound in his chest was gone, and the illusion of blood had vanished with it. The first frightening dream he’d had out in the forest, he believed it a dreadful vision brought on by his worry, but this one only proved that these were no coincidence. How else could he perfectly imagine what Amakazi looked like? This was no ordinary dream, it was a Genjutsu.

But, how?

The only way Kakashi could imagine someone being able to cast that kind of jutsu on him, especially without eye contact, was through either pills ingested that would affect him during sleep, or the audible type of Genjutsu that could capture him from long distances. With those two ideas in mind, Kakashi wondered if at any point during him and Tenzo’s mission, had he come into contact with Amakazi, or was this man so familiar with him that he just knew enable to get to Tenzo, he’d have to take Kakashi out from a distance?

Unsure of either, Kakashi rose from the bed and dressed for what felt like the second time. When his face mask was pulled up over part of his again, he covered his sharingan and headed out of his bunk to the medical center. By this time it was surprisingly night, the sun having gone down an hour ago. As he walked, he wondered just how long that Genjutsu had him ensnared, but Kakashi would be sure to catch the next one, possibly even use it to track the one behind it.

When he reached Tenzo’s room again, the boy was looking so much better than he had before. He was no longer panting from his agony, no more sweat dotted his forehead, and he looked peaceful. He’d been asleep, but the second Kakashi opened the door and the latch clicked, the young brunette woke up and a tired smile came to his lips. “Senpai,” he said, his voice was something that eased Kakashi’s previous anxiousness. “I was hoping you would come.”

The twenty-year-old held up a hand as if gesturing for Tenzo to remain in bed when he sat up. “Take it easy,” he said, “Are you still hurt? I brought you here before going to see the Hokage.”  
“I’m feeling a lot better,” Tenzo smiled sweetly up at the older boy. “I was told I had a fever but the wound in my leg is gone and I feel fine. I just – I want to go home.”

“You should probably stay here over night just in case.”

“But, Senpai, after the mission, after sleeping in the cold, I would like it very much to sleep somewhere familiar to me.”

Kakashi neared Tenzo then and placed the back of his hand against his forehead, feeling for any remaining traces of a fever. “You do feel alright,” he said. “Perhaps you are ready to go back home.”

Tenzo nodded, glancing to the door of the room. A shade was pulled down over the single window, and no one seemed to be coming to check up on him. “Take me?” he asked. “Home.”

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, glad the expression was hidden, and he nodded to the doorway, “Let’s go.”

The young brunette raised his arms then, “My legs are still feeling a little weak. Carry me?”

Without fret, the twenty-year-old sat down at the foot of the bed, feeling as Tenzo wrapped his arms around the top of his shoulders, and then he reached back when the boy was close enough to grasp him. He stood from the bed, holding Tenzo against him and neared the window. Given the sixteen-year-old wasn’t necessarily cleared to leave the facility, it would probably be a safer move to sneak out of the room through a passage that wasn’t guarded.

Carrying Tenzo, Kakashi pushed the window up and ducked out of it, crouched as he was clung to. “Thank you, Senpai,” the boy said then.

Leaping off the steep slope of the roof, Kakashi headed back towards Tenzo’s bunk. “I’ve got you,” he said, and it sounded more like a promise than anything else. “I’ve always got you.”

When they arrived, the two entered the homey bunk and Kakashi set Tenzo down on his bed. For a moment, nothing was said between them, and while the silence wasn’t awkward, the mutual feelings hidden from either boy remained unspoken. “Again,” Tenzo said, “Thank you, thank you for taking care of me when I was injured out there, and thank you for making sure I made it back here okay.”

“You don’t ever have to thank me for protected you, Tenzo. You’re – You’re more than just–,” Kakashi stopped himself suddenly, swallowing nervously as those words of confession nearly left him. “We’re friends, Tenzo. I stay true to my friends.”

The brunette held back a sigh of dejection, troubled by the word “friend” when it left Kakashi’s mouth. “Yeah,” he said, “I understand. I guess, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Actually,” Kakashi interjected, “Do you mind if I stay here for the night?” he asked. “We’ve both had a long couple of days and I don’t much feel like walking all the way home.”

“Of course,” Tenzo said, almost relived by the question.

Kicking off his shoes, Kakashi left them at the foot of the bed and turned off the overhead light to the entire room. When he neared the single bed again, Tenzo’s heart pounded in his chest when he registered that they’d be sharing this bed tonight. Making room as he laid nearest to the edge, his breath stammered when Kakashi climbed over him to lay nearest to the wall. He pulled the blanket up over them, and as he could feel the presence of the twenty-year-old so close to him, Tenzo turned so he was facing Kakashi’s chest. “Goodnight, Senpai,” he said, voice almost sounding insecure.

“Goodnight, Tenzo.”


	5. Goodbye, my love

Tenzo had woken up before Kakashi, but he had yet to get up from the bed. It wasn’t that he couldn’t. He didn’t want to. Lying there with the love of his life, so close to him, feeling the warmth their bodies conducted even though they weren’t touching, Tenzo never wanted the morning to fade, take this aesthetic feeling from his being. They were lain with just an inch between them, so close if Tenzo leaned in just a small ways, he and Kakashi’s lips would be pressed together. And he wanted to do it so bad, just one kiss, just one second to feel like he was on cloud nine, but to kiss the one person he admired and valued most, it would mean crossing a personal boundary he also wanted to respect. Kakashi meant everything to him and he would respect the young man and his borders forever.

As he lay there trapped in his restraints, Tenzo feared his future as a whole. He didn’t want to remain this lovesick boy, go on into the future knowing the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with could never truly be his. He and Kakashi, they could be comrades until the end of time, but Tenzo wanted so much more for him and the white haired ninja. There were love stories out there that left their mark on the world, and then there was his that would forever remain in fantasy, left to become a silent regret.

Would he ever be happy knowing he couldn’t have Kakashi? Could he possibly form a bond as profound as the one he and his senpai shared? Was that even possible? No, Tenzo believed, and he wouldn’t want to attempt something as such. To fall in love with someone who was not his senpai, it was an impossible feat he could not reach even if he tried. And with that idea in mind, Tenzo tried with all his might to be content as he was. Alone and unloved.

Releasing a noiseless sigh, Tenzo quietly rose up out of bed, running his fingers back into his long auburn hair. Morning tangles snagged here and there, and when he stepped into his bathroom, he took a much needed shower. After a couple days in the forest, he could imagine how unpleasant he must smell, and quickly rinsed the previous days away.

When he was finished, he stepped back into the room with a towel wrapped around his body. From a dresser he grabbed out his daily attire and threw it on as quietly as possible as not to wake up Kakashi. After their unforeseen battle in the forests during their mission, he knew just how exhausted was right now, and he wanted the young man to get as much well-deserved sleep as possible. Besides, once Kakashi woke up, he was sure they’d go their separate ways for a while. Given their day-to-day training periods in the ANBU, there were rarely any dull moments during a regular day.

Mission tactics, strategies, fundamentals, sessions at headquarters were books from morning till evening, so breaks and moments of peace were something one had to appreciate when in the ANBU, and that’s what Tenzo was doing right now: enjoying this time he had.

Securing the chin guard of his uniform, Tenzo raked his long tresses into a ponytail and left it at that. Kakashi was still fast asleep by the time he finished dressing completely, so without disturbing the young man in his bed, Tenzo did want he always did when he had time to spare, and since they weren’t due to arrive at headquarters for another hour and half, he was sure he could get something done before that time came around. After grabbing a kunai from his utility belt across the room, he took a seat on the floor with his back facing the bed. Tenzo then opened his palm and in the center a wooden block formed out of it.

He turned the piece of wood in his hand, studying its dimensions before an idea formed in his head. He dug the sharp tip of the blade into the hard surface, carving away until the image in his mind began to take shape. It was a dove on a pedestal, wings spread open wide as if taking flight. He arched the back just a ways more, and the freedom this small figure represented to him brought a smile to his face. To be as free as a dove, able to open his wings to go wherever he wanted, do whatever he wanted, thrive in the open world, but as the ninja he was, Tenzo saw the prospects of freedom like a false hope.

Having been a captive when he was a child, he felt as such now even in his teenage years. Whether it was the reality of being confined to the Leaf Village for his previous acquaintance with Orochimaru, being ensnared in the birdcage that refused to let his heart flourish, Tenzo was a captive without a doubt in his own mind, and the autonomy this mere carving brought to his heart eased just a small sum of his despair.

When he was finished, Tenzo looked the small figure over, pleased with the outcome, and then jumped when a sudden voice spoke from over his shoulder.

“Is that for me?” Kakashi asked, his morning voice slightly more gruff.

Tenzo turned on his knees, a shy smirk on his face as he set the figure on the bed. “You can have it if you like.”

Kakashi took the wooden figurine into his hands, lying back as he held the dove overhead, inspecting it all over as if ready to grade it. “You get better and better each time you make one. Thanks, I’ll put it next to the one you gave me the other day.” Without voicing it, Kakashi’s admiration for the small figure instilled a sense of hope into him as well.

This was going to be the day he left Tenzo behind, and although he knew it would not be something that lasted forever, hopefully, just knowing he would be abandoning the young boy shook his heart. He wanted to tell Tenzo everything that was going on, inform him about actions he was going to take against Amakazi, but given Tenzo was not supposed to know of the trouble brewing his way, Kakashi did what he could to abide by the strategy.

“Senpai?” Tenzo said then, breaking the stilled silence, “Are you well?”

Kakashi sat up in the bed then, crossing his legs as he fumbled his fingers through his hair. His face mask had come down in his sleep, revealing his entire face, but given Tenzo was the only one before him, he didn’t mind the exposure so much. “Of course,” he said, “Why do you ask?”

“In your sleep, you were mumbling and seemed agitated sometimes. I thought you were having a nightmare at one point but then it went away and you slept normally the rest of the night.”

“Did I?” Kakashi hummed as if not knowing what the boy was talking about, but he knew all too well of the images that had haunted him during the night. And this time, it was not due to the invasion of a Genjutsu. Last night it had been mere nightmares brought on by the fear and stress of losing the one he loved.

All throughout the night, he had been plagued by artificial torment, experiencing an imaginative world in which Tenzo was no longer by his side, and it was one where he did not want to exist in. If there ever truly came a time where this wonderful boy was taken from his side, Kakashi knew it would change him as a man. He needed Tenzo, to hear his voice, see his face, have him near everyday even if only for a moment, and he was more than glad to have woken up with the boy beside him.

The nightmares were the aftermath of the Genjutsu Amakazi was somehow capable to enforce upon him, but he would do all he could to make sure they never became a reality.

Even if it cost him his life.

Either he would die to keep Tenzo alive, or he would end his own life if Tenzo’s was taken. The mere notion of committing suicide was a heavy weight in itself, but Kakashi knew he wouldn’t be able to do it. Live without his love.

“Whatever nightmare it could have been,” the white haired ninja said, “it does nothing to me now. I’m fine.”

“That’s good,” Tenzo said, and when the silence returned again, the young boy wanted to fill the silence with everything he’s wanted to tell Kakashi since the beginning, how much he’s loved the white haired ninja, admired, and cherished him. Weren’t these opportunities people wanted to take before it was too late? Yet, here he was, wasting every second the longer he held back from letting the feelings that dwelled in his heart out into the world. _“Kakashi senpai, I love you,”_ that’s all he had to say, those easy words. It was such a simple phrase that slipped off the tongue so beautifully, but fear of rejection, fear of embarrassment always kept it hidden from the ears that needed to hear it the most.

Given this was the day Kakashi would embark on his journey for Amakazi, he finally rose up out of the bed with the secreted dejection inside of him. This could be the final time he laid eyes on the love of his life, witnessed just how wonderful Tenzo was in his very presence. As the younger boy stood as well to get himself ready for the day ahead, Kakashi kept his eyes on the boy. He admired every detail pertaining to Tenzo’s slight figure, the silkiness of his long auburn hair, and the beautiful almond shape of his dark colored eyes. Every detail from the little things to the big things, he wanted to lock them in his memory, to keep them with him if this was truly going to be the last time he saw Tenzo.

And then something occurred to Kakashi.

What if he made it back? What if he was able to track Amakazi and take him down? What then?

It would be a miracle if he made it back with just a couple scratches, but as he pondered the thought, Kakashi came up with a promise he would keep if he could defeat what seemed impossible. If Hatake Kakashi could somehow bring down Shidou Amakazi, Kakashi promised to spill his feelings for Tenzo, take that chance he’d been too afraid to open up about. But…only if he could fight this battle and come out on top.

If he was defeated, then so be it.

Figuring he should get ready for his journey and potential battle, Kakashi gathered himself and the wooden dove Tenzo had carved for him, and said, “I – uh – should go. Let you get ready for training in peace.”

Curious to the distance in Kakashi’s tone, Tenzo eyed the young man as he neared the doorway. “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit, right? We could get breakfast together before going to headquarters. I wanted to tell you something. For some reason I just have this feeling something is going on. While I was in the hospital, I thought I overheard some of the healers talking about some guy. I can’t remember the name, though.”

“It’s probably nothing,” Kakashi cut in quickly, “Just, I’ll see you…” and then he left the room without another word. _“Goodbye,”_ the farewell echoed in his mind, _“my love.”_

It pained Kakashi to keep a secret like this from Tenzo, especially since there was a possibility that they may never see each other again, but it was for the best. Right?

After taking a shower at his place and dressing in fresh clothes, Kakashi went straight for the Hokage’s office. He was equip with weapons and his mind was set on one thing, and when he arrived, Lord Third was sat behind his desk. “You really want to go through with this on your own?” Sarutobi asked.

“I have never been surer of anything,” Kakashi replied, and the stern tone in his voice brought truth to his words. “Hokage, you have to promise me something before I go. You must keep Tenzo here, do not let him follow me. I know he will noticed my absence soon enough, and he will want to know where I’ve gone off to. Ever since he joined the ANBU, there hasn’t been a mission we haven’t gone on without each other, and he’ll want to be there for me. Promise you won’t let him do that. I can’t risk him falling into the hands of this man. I have seen what he demands.”

Lord Third simply nodded.

At that, Kakashi gathered what information the Hokage could offer on the whereabouts of Amakazi, and strapped on his ANBU mask to veil his features, vanishing into thin air.

_

When Tenzo arrived to headquarters, the first thing he did was look for Kakashi. If they weren’t already together, they usually met up in the locker room, but the only face he was greeted by was Itachi. The young ANBU was gathering his training utilities, and met Tenzo’s eyes when he walked in. “Hey, Itachi,” he said, “By any chance, have you seen Kakashi anywhere?”

“No, I haven’t,” Itachi answered kindly. “He could have been pulled off to the side for a minute.”

Given Kakashi was one of the most prestigious members of the ANBU Black Ops, that wouldn’t be such a strange thing to have happened. Letting it go, Tenzo thanked young Itachi and went about his training schedule, starting with stealth, jutsu formations and chakra control before heading into tactics and agility building. It was difficult to train without Kakashi beside him. Not that he needed the other ninja to be a good enough fighter, but it was hard training with someone who didn’t know his moves like Kakashi did. Things just felt off, and by the time a full day had gone by, Tenzo was getting ready to leave…alone.

When there was no sign of Kakashi anywhere, not even at his bunk, Tenzo simply went home to his own empty bunk. He couldn’t fathom what could have taken the white haired ninja away for all hours of the day, but as night settled in yet again, it seemed there would be no goodnights between them.


End file.
